Essence Backlash and a creature with X power
Asked by Quadsimotto 11 years ago
If counter say a Consuming Aberration or a Wayfaring Temple would the damage dealt from either of those creatures power equal whatever X may be or would it be zero because the state based ( is that correct?) power hasn't checked yet? Or am I way off the mark! In like everything about this question?
Yes, because the power/toughness of those cards is always equal to whatever thier connected to. Consuming Aberration will have a power/toughness equal to your opponents graveyard reguardless if Consuming Aberration is on the stack, in your deck, exiled or in play.
October 29, 2013 8:27 p.m.
Quadsimotto says... #3
Well it seems like Essence Backlash is a card I want to use but I want to use it correctly. " counter target creature spell essence backlash deals damage to that spells power to its controller." So I have another question regarding that. Could this be used to counter Advent of the Wurm
October 29, 2013 8:29 p.m.
No, Essence Backlash can't be used to counter Advent of the Wurm because that's not a creature spell, it's an instant spell.
October 29, 2013 8:30 p.m.
Quadsimotto says... #5
Excellent on the first part of the answer but am hesitating to mark as answered until the second part of question get a look and possibly an answer.
October 29, 2013 8:30 p.m.
Consuming Aberration and Wayfaring Temple have what are known as "Characteristic-defining abilities". These are things that are simply true about the creatures, so Consuming Aberration's p/t is always equal to the number of cards in all opponents graveyards and Wayfaring Temple's p/t is always equal to the number of creatures you control. Essence Backlash will deal damage equal to those amounts to the the countered spell's controller.
For an example of a similar situation without Characteristic-defining abilities, look at Nighthowler . Nighthowler has a static ability, so it only applies on the battlefield, and Essence Backlashing Nighthowler will deal no damage to its controller.
October 29, 2013 8:31 p.m.
Quadsimotto says... #7
And thank you zeldazach for clearing up the rest of it for me.
October 29, 2013 8:32 p.m.
Quadsimotto says... #8
So raithe000 using the backlash on Nighthowler would result in zero damage being dealt. Correct?
October 29, 2013 8:34 p.m.
zeldazach is right about Advent of the Wurm . The spell being cast is an instant, not a creature and therefore can't be countered with Essence Backlash
October 29, 2013 8:34 p.m.
Backlashing Nighthowler would depend on whether it's being cast as a creature or enchantment.
zeldazach says... #1
I'm not 100% sure what you're asking, so let me try to interpret.
If you're saying a card says deal "X" damage based on a creatures power, the calculation of the creatures power, say Consuming Aberration , would be calculated based on the # of cards in all opponent graveyards at that exact moment. If lets say, you're in a 2 person match and your opponent has 6 cards in his graveyard at this time, X would equal 6.
October 29, 2013 8:22 p.m.